Mitchell 2-gamed suspended for dirty play

[Rammer]

Khaliff Mitchell has been given a 2 game suspension by the CFL league office. He has the right to appeal and on the TEAM 1040 Benevides says that he is disappointed by the league decision.

[sj-roc]

Khaliff Mitchell has been given a 2 game suspension by the CFL league office. He has the right to appeal and on the TEAM 1040 Benevides says that he is disappointed by the league decision.

Should be interesting discussion fodder for MB's radio show coming up in a few minutes.

Edit: damn I missed it; I was thinking it was coming on now at 6pm not 5pm :S

[KnowItAll]

Khaliff Mitchell has been given a 2 game suspension by the CFL league office. He has the right to appeal and on the TEAM 1040 Benevides says that he is disappointed by the league decision.

if the coach really feels that way, lets see him put mitchell on practice roster for the rest of the year

[Toppy Vann]

Khaliff Mitchell has been given a 2 game suspension by the CFL league office. He has the right to appeal and on the TEAM 1040 Benevides says that he is disappointed by the league decision.

if the coach really feels that way, lets see him put mitchell on practice roster for the rest of the year

He seems to sound here that he is disappointed in the league's two game suspension - not the player. That is a harsh result - 2 games.

I thought 1 game and a fine were all they could do. He could still win his appeal. Not sure what precedent is there for him to appeal on in terms of games served.

He wasn't helped by the TSN panel covering it and calling the league on it but it was a bad act.

[KnowItAll]

Khaliff Mitchell has been given a 2 game suspension by the CFL league office. He has the right to appeal and on the TEAM 1040 Benevides says that he is disappointed by the league decision.

if the coach really feels that way, lets see him put mitchell on practice roster for the rest of the year

He seems to sound here that he is disappointed in the league's two game suspension - not the player. That is a harsh result - 2 games.

I thought 1 game and a fine were all they could do. He could still win his appeal. Not sure what precedent is there for him to appeal on in terms of games served.

He wasn't helped by the TSN panel covering it and calling the league on it but it was a bad act.

yikes, it never occurred to me that anyone would actually think 2 games is two many. Thats just ******* I was really hoping the lions would show some integrity on this issue. (edited by Mod staff)

[MikeAK]

I'm very pleased to see the league take a stance on this issue. Suspensions in the CFL are rare at best so for them to hand down a 2 gamer is quite a mesg. I hated the action and the replay made it look even worse. I'm a Lions fan through and through but I fully support the league on this ruling. Terrible action and the player should feel ashamed.

Now lets get back to what really maters and that's talking about the great CFL game... Eskies suck! haha

[WestCoastJoe]

Not a surprise.

It's a violent sport, and yet somehow players have to be able to draw the line, and heed it, no matter what is going on between players. Guys are pounding each other, tempers flare, stuff happens. But somehow you have to stop yourself from crossing that line.

It's not MMA out there where knees to the head, elbows to the head, hitting a guy who is down, even stomping on the head (Mauricio Rua), kidney punches, arm bars and choke holds are allowed. Do you suppose football players watch MMA, and think about some of those actions, and just wish they could do it to so and so? Without justifying it, an MMA arm bar is what it looked like Khalif was trying in his mad moment.

I was wondering if Khalif was just trying to throw Rottier aside, but having looked at the tape, it just doesn't look like it. That's what (Hall of Fame Baltimore Colt) Big Daddy Lipscomb used to do from defensive tackle, just throw blockers aside until he got to the ball carrier. If Rottier's arm and shoulder were made of steel, no injury, but I think athletes can sense, or should sense, when an opponent is vulnerable.

I hope Rottier recovers well. He has expressed forgiveness to Mitchell. I hope Khalif learns from it. He has seemed like a pretty good guy up until this incident, and maybe even after it.

[notahomer]

I'm very pleased to see the league take a stance on this issue. Suspensions in the CFL are rare at best so for them to hand down a 2 gamer is quite a mesg. I hated the action and the replay made it look even worse. I'm a Lions fan through and through but I fully support the league on this ruling. Terrible action and the player should feel ashamed.

Now lets get back to what really maters and that's talking about the great CFL game... Eskies suck! haha

X2
I would have been happy with any suspension (one, two or three games). As you said MikeAK, suspensions are so rare any suspension is a message and 2 games is that much more of a message.

I also admire the vast majority of Lions fans who are admitting 'he deserves a suspension'. I hope the fans of other CFL teams will continue to show their disgust when a player from other teams, including their own team, is the culprit instead of the victim of similar incidents that deserve suspension. For e.g. I always did think the Jimenez hit on Johnson deserved a suspension. I think there are times when the colour of the jersey/helmet need to come off and fans need to objectively state that a behaviour is unacceptable. The fact Lions fans are happy a Lion got suspended I think speaks volumes of both how bad the incident was and the fact we can set aside it was one of ours that initiated the act of violence.

[Toppy Vann]

It is an 18 game plus play offs season if you get there so 2 games is harsh (not uncalled for). If it were the NHL and you used the same percentage of games - 2/18 or or even say 2/20 it'd be like an 8 game suspension.

The CFL and football don't usually have this type of injure others mentality like in hockey as most players respect the game and their opponent - at times even more than some fans do in sports these days where they'd like to beat up fans from opposing teams. Lucky that is not North America or CFL to any great extent.

This was a mistake on his part. His first public statement was a bit of a surprise but it no doubt came before someone could counsel him on how this is best handled with the media. The issue here is that the player has to face the league here and their is an agreement with the Players union that adds another dimension to it if he is appealing and hoping for one game. I liked the insanity plea comment earlier as his first comments bordered on that.

I believe in redemption as I hope we all would as one incident like this should not marr our liking for this guy who could easily have left for an NFL tryout where instead he is playing for less money in the CFL and with the Lions. He might be working on his appeal as 1 game in the CFL is sufficient. The CFL is not stocked with NFL back up rosters so any suspensions hurt the team and fans as much as it hits the pocket book. The two games are likely due to the fact that the injury could have been career ending.

While we don't have to condone the incident (and none should) I hope fans are be mindful that we are dealing with a young player who has made a serious error in judgment that is not typical of how he has played in all other games with the Lions. I don't like the play but believe in the player and that he will demonstrate in future games that that was just a one off momentary lapse in judgment.

The Lion coaches might not be speaking out too much as they know that he can still appeal.

[KnowItAll]

It is an 18 game plus play offs season if you get there so 2 games is harsh (not uncalled for). If it were the NHL and you used the same percentage of games - 2/18 or or even say 2/20 it'd be like an 8 game suspension.

The CFL and football don't usually have this type of injure others mentality like in hockey as most players respect the game and their opponent - at times even more than some fans do in sports these days where they'd like to beat up fans from opposing teams. Lucky that is not North America or CFL to any great extent.

This was a mistake on his part. His first public statement was a bit of a surprise but it no doubt came before someone could counsel him on how this is best handled with the media. The issue here is that the player has to face the league here and their is an agreement with the Players union that adds another dimension to it.

I believe in redemption as one incident like this should not marr our liking for this guy who could easily have left for an NFL tryout where instead he is playing for less money in the CFL and with the Lions. He might be working on his appeal as 1 game in the CFL is sufficient. The CFL is not stocked with NFL back up rosters so any suspensions hurt the team and fans as much as it hits the pocket book.

While we don't have to condone the incident (and none should) we still need to be mindful that we are dealing with a young player who has made a serious error in judgment that is not typical of how he has played in all other games with the Lions. I don't like the play but believe in the player and that he will demonstrate in future games that that was just a one off momentary lapse in judgment.

yeah, but would you be saying anything like this as an eskimo fan?

[Toppy Vann]

Code: Select all

yeah, but would you be saying anything like this as an eskimo fan?

I would say that - but that is me. I believe in redemption when players make mistakes. It helps if a player shows some concern or remorse but with appeal processes this might be slower coming. This player is a young man. He has made a mistake. He is going to wear a Lion jersey again and all will cheer him on. He may go on to make some play that prevents us from losing a trip to the play offs or losing the GC. He is a valued member of the team.

I look at the Michael Vick situation as I just recently saw him interviewed. He now realizes what he did and how his first reaction on getting the news of the dog place busted was wrong (How can I control this). He made mistakes including choices of friends and supporters.

For the CFL to do well - all teams must do well. Not just my team.

Mitchell too needs support as a person and while I don't condone what he did I am not going to condemn the guy for life. If he doesn't get the message then I'd likely take a different view of the player as a person and might be less understanding.

I can see a lot of animosity coming from Mitchell's initial reply. That was just silly.

I look at it this way. What would I say to that guy if he was standing in front of me right now? (even if he couldn't smack you in the mouth.. haha.)

[Blue In BC]

Three points:

1. Why was Benevedes disappointed in the leagues suspension? Wouldn't any sane coach be calling for the head of a player on another team that did that to one of his OL?
2. Very disappointed that Mitchell hasn't seemed to acknowledge his brain fart. If he appeals the decision that just further shows his feeling he did nothing wrong.
3. IIRC, Bomber B Dyson was suspended for 3 games for just general rough play / attitude. This was not for any specific play and it wasn't for any play that resulted in an ejection. It was also a decision made after the season ended as a cumulative decision to be applied at the beginning of the next season. Ultimately he left the CFL rather than take a 3 game cut in pay.

Now I'm not suggesting that Dyson wasn't a dirty player, but I don't recall him actually injuring a player or intending to injure a player with this sort of karate move ( or whatever you call it ).

So I'm a bit surprised that Mitchell didn't get 3 games minimum. I suggest minimum because I don't know the extent of Rottier's injury but it should have ( and may have ) been part of the decision.

I know it's a what if question but what if Rottier goes on the 9 game IR with a hyper extended elbow??

[notahomer]

...
For the CFL to do well - all teams must do well. Not just my team.
...)

The Lions are nothing without the other 7 teams that enable there to be a CFL, IMO...... Otherwise it would be the BFL, the Braley Football League with every week featuring a Lions/Argo matchup taking turns playing in each others retractable roof stadium.......

[notahomer]

Checked out Riderfans and Esksfans. Pretty reasonable comments, IMO. One thing I am looking forward too (just because I'll be interested in hearing what he has to say). One Riderfan claims to have posted a tweet from Doug Brown DEFENDING Mitchell and Brown wants us to read his article tomorrow. Hmmm, I'll find that interesting. I will read it and I'm sure he'll have some good points to make but I highly doubt he'll be changing my mind on whether a suspension is warranted....

I checked on-line and Doug Brown writes a column for the Winnipeg Free Press

[WestCoastJoe]

Checked out Riderfans and Esksfans. Pretty reasonable comments, IMO. One thing I am looking forward too (just because I'll be interested in hearing what he has to say). One Riderfan claims to have posted a tweet from Doug Brown DEFENDING Mitchell and Brown wants us to read his article tomorrow. Hmmm, I'll find that interesting. I will read it and I'm sure he'll have some good points to make but I highly doubt he'll be changing my mind on whether a suspension is warranted....

I checked on-line and Doug Brown writes a column for the Winnipeg Free Press

I'll be reading it too. Thanks for posting, Nota.